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Four and a half years ago, I shared a recipe for white batter bread which I like to joke was the original no-knead bread for its lazy approach to assembly. I learned about this particular batter bread when I took a multi-weekend bread baking class (cue sigh over pre-baby levels of free time) and even though it was the least hearty, stretchy, hollow-sounding, craggy-crusted or rustic of the breads we made, it was unforgettable because it reminded me of a cross between a cake and a bread. [Also, it was unbearably delicious when sliced warm and slathered with salted butter. Don’t trust me on this, go find out for yourself.]

Well, it was mostly unforgettable. In the 4 1/2 years since, there have been new jobs, new apartments, new people (hello!), new projects, less sleep, more work and well, even unforgettable things can go and get forgotten until one of my favorite commenters (oh yes, I pick favorites; bad blogger!) piped up on the batter bread post the other day and told me that it reminded her of a Sally Lunn bread, which I had never heard of and immediately had to drop everything to research.

Cooking-wise, I’m in what I consider the dregs of March, this itchy time before anything is growing in the ground where if I see another potato, strand of pasta or soup I might toss it out the window in contempt. But bread! Bread is always welcome, especially this one and even more especially for a luxurious weekend brunch. Like any food story worth tucking into, the story of Sally Lunn Bread comes with drama over its origins — Was it originally made by Protestant refugees, who called them “soleil et lune” or sun and moon cakes? Was it named for Solange Luyon, a pastry cook in Bath, England who for decades sold these buns on the street? Was knowing how to bake it truly essential to being a successful housekeeper, as this 1884 book, suggests? Because, if you were to look around my “house” right now, the fact that I’d never made Sally Lunn before would explain a lot about the lack of housekeeping “success” exhibited here.

Nevertheless, this is some fine, fine bread. It tastes like a light brioche but involves less butter, fewer eggs and significantly less of a time commitment. It differs from the batter bread that I made all that time ago by being even more dessert- and less sandwich-like; i.e. it’s even awesomer. And although I know a slice of this only needs a pat of butter and schmear of strawberry jam to make anyone you share it with — preferably at breakfast, or its luxurious twin, brunch — weep gently with joy, I got a little out of control and attempted a salted and honey-ed brown butter spread that I will not make the mistake of having forgotten 4 1/2 years from now.

This recipe makes 1 9x5x3-inch loaf of bread. For a more traditional shape, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch (10 cup) tube pan. My changes to Heatter’s recipe were halve the recipe, further reduce the sugar, halve again the yeast (yes, halve, there was a lot!), swap out some water for additional milk and to streamline the directions to hopefully keep them as simple as possible.

In a large bowl, mix 3/4 cup flour, sugar, salt and dry yeast by hand or with an electric mixer.

In a saucepan, heat the milk and butter together until the mixture is warm (105 to 110 degrees); don’t worry if this butter isn’t completely melted. Gradually pour the warm ingredients into the dry mixture and mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or stir vigorously by hand with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk and another 1/2 cup flour and beat again for 2 minutes by machine or 3 by hand. Add the last of the flour and beat or stir until smooth.

Scrape down bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap. Let rise for one hour or until doubled. Meanwhile, butter and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Once the dough has doubled, scrape it into the prepared pan. Cover with buttered plastic wrap and let rise for a total of 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, however, remove the plastic and preheat your oven to 375°F.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Heatter says the bread should make a hollow sound if tapped with your fingertips but I haven’t weathered mine enough yet that I didn’t find it unpleasant.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out to a rack to cool.

Just to note, Heatter suggests that the bread be cooled out of the loaf pan but upside down on the rack, I presume to square off the loaf, so this is an option for more perfectly square bread.

In a small saucepan, melt half your butter over medium heat. Once melted, reduce heat to medium-low. The butter will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. While it is cooling, leave the other half of the butter out to soften slightly (semi-firm is fine).

Whip softened butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly drizzle in the room temperature browned butter, honey and salt continue whipping until combined. Chill butter in fridge until a nice spreadable consistency, or until needed.

I’m already drooling at the idea of something brioche-like actually coming out of my own oven which doesn’t involve taking a day off of work to make. Browned butter and drizzled honey? Hmm…I wonder if my boss will let me leave early; there’s a bread baking emergency!

I so know your ‘if I see another potato, strand of pasta or soup I might toss it out the window in contempt’ feeling. Spring keeps teasing and then disappearing again. I can’t even begin to imagine how good this would be with clotted cream and jam!

That toasted piece looks amazing. Random question – how do you store the rest of the half-packet of yeast, and how long will it stay good for? I normally just toss out what I have leftover because it’s pretty cheap, and I feel like any future products I make with yeast come out a little flat (literally). Any tips?

Oooh yes please. The honeyed brown butter sold us…actually, we didn’t need selling at all really. You say bread and we come running…this stuff looks dangerously delicious and all to easy to put together. Yum.

Matt, your yeast should be fine if you pop the packet In a ziploc bag In the fridge. Alternatively, In the long run it’s cheaper just to buy a jar of active dry yeast and measure out what you need. One packet is 2 1/4 teaspoons.

I love that it says to bake it in a “pretty hot oven”. That sounds exactly like the directions my chef husband gives me for cooking – “bake it until it’s done.” Thank goodness for specific and updated recipes! This looks like the perfect thing for Saturday morning.

I LOVE Sally Lunn bread. My grandma introduced me to it years ago (she also gave me my first bread recipe, which was, interestingly enough, a for white batter bread). Every time I eat it, I think of her. This post has made me crave it– maybe I’ll go make some!!

Once again, an utterly inspiring recipe+post which makes me want nothing but to spend the entire day in an apron! I assume since you don’t specify that I should use all-purpose flour for this recipe rather than bread flour? Can’t wait to try this on Sunday…

Deb, you didn’t specify which flour to use… have you made it with AP & bread flour but noticed no difference?

Also, have you tried making it in a bâtard shape, or is the dough too wet to be baked outside a mold? I ask because the way you describe this bread tasting, it sounds like a type of bread I grew up eating in PR, commonly known as “pan sobao” (literally: massaged bread)

Micaela — You should use all-purpose, I will update it to note that. I don’t think it would hold a shape. Batter breads really have to be poured into pans. The advantage of them, however, is that there is no kneading and that those sticky, wet doughs make wonderfully moist breads, while any bread that will be kneaded inevitably needs more flour for sturdiness.

I make about 20-30 loaves of Sally every week. I basically throw butter, brown sugar and salt into the mixer and put it on high for 10 minutes. Then I add the eggs a few at a time, scraping down regularly. At the begining it looks like buttercream, but by the end you just see the butter feathered out in the egg. At the same time I have my yeast blooming in the warm milk. At this point I add the flour and milk/yeast alternately until everything is mixed, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, I punch down the dough and scoop into bread pans.
BTW, it makes excellent french toast.

On yeast: If you store your jar of yeast in the freezer it should keep indefinitely (according to Peter Reinhart). I bake bread every week so mine never stays around long enough for me to vouch for this myself, but my freezer stored yeast performs great every time, down to the bottom of the jar.

My mother used to make this all the time…smelled so wonderful when it was baking. You are right about the “warm with butter” bit. She would have to make 2 loaves at a time since one of them would be devoured immediately out of the oven!! I never tried it myself, but now I will. Thanks!

I have been on a bread baking kick lately. I think its partly because I am sick of the other “winter foods” too! I’ve never heard of this before, but anything that seems so simple and delicious is fine by me.

Yesterday I made two loaves of bread…a traditional Irish Soda bread which tastes like dust and an sweetened American version, which I had high hopes for until I burned it. But I have been craving bread so as soon as I clean my oven, I’ll give this one a try…Godfrey, you’d think by now I’d know how to set a timer! xo, Nan

The bread sounds delicious (of course!), but what I really love is the cute little bowl holding the butter. It reminds me of an old set of pyrex bowls that my mom has with the same floral pattern, but it looks like the walls are much thinner. Can you pass along a source?

Oh my gosh, my grandmother used to make Sally Lunn bread! I still remember announcing to my fourth grade class how that bread was what made my grandmother special (when asked to give a reason in honor of grandparents’ day). She passed away eight years ago and I don’t think I ever asked her for the recipe. I will definitely be baking this, and thinking of her. Thank you!

I made this and posted about it a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it as a breakfast bread. But the way I liked it the most was the following week end when we made French toast with it: to die for (yup, I posted about that too). I loved the story behind the bread too, I like learnign about “food history”.

oh my gosh, i was just reading about Sally Lunn buns in a new bread book I got, and I’ve been dying to make them (especially after a recommendation by a British friend). The recipe there suggests cutting the bun (or Bundt) in thirds horizontally, slathering each layer with jam and clotted cream, and re-assembling. can. you. imagine.

Joelle — It is so funny that you bring that up, because after being unable to whip up a cake in time for my FIL’s brithday, I’ve spent the last two weeks dreaming about small, intense chocolate cakes that would be perfect to make for small grown-up birthday parties. Of course, now I cannot look at her recipe because it would distract me from what I have in mind! :) [Update: I looked anyway! And it was exactly what I had in mind right down to the size of the springform pan and the flour level. I am not kidding. Dang, that lady is smart!]

I’ve loved Sally Lunn bread since I tasted it years ago at Gadsby’s Tavern in Alexandria, Va. (one of the oldest restaurants in the U.S.). They give out the recipe but it just wasn’t the same when I made it. I’ll have to give this one a try! And that browned butter spread looks amazing.

Yumm, Sally Lunn Bread. I was actually looking for a recipe for this recently.
When I was a kid my dad and I took a weekend ski trip, just the two of us. The only thing I remember eating all weekend was Sally Lunn bread slathered with salted butter. My Mom may not have approved of the unbalanced diet, but I still salivate when I think about it.
(Too bad I gave up all sugar for lent. . .it seems that even the 2 T are probably crucial.)

I can’t wait to try this recipe out. A couple of weeks back I actually got a chance to visit Sally Lunn’s Bakery/Restaurant in Bath, England while visiting friends in London. All I had were a couple of different Lunn’s Buns with various toppings, but man were they good buns. Thanks Kitten!

I have been on a serious bread slump lately as all our favorites take long stretches of free time to make. This sound like a perfect solution, homemade but with only a few hour time commitment. I bet it will be great with some whole grain flour as well. Thanks!

“Bread is always welcome” – that may have just been the best thing you have ever said =)!

A brioche like bread with less eggs and butter sounds like something I need to taste. Husband and I had to cancel a weekend trip to Bath (we are living in London at the moment) a few weeks ago so may have to recreate part of the experience here at home.

Hi Deb,
What a blast from the past! My mom used to make Sally Lunn (35-40 years ago), and recently handed down to me her dog-eared, marked-up, falling apart bread cookbook. The Sally Lunn recipe is included in there, as well as a wonderful salt-rising bread recipe, (not to mention many others that I’m working my way through). Thank you for passing along this recipe.

I’ve never heard of Sally Lunn bread, just her famous buns (immature giggle), but this looks like the bun recipe in a loaf form. My husband and I drive up to Bath now and then for a day trip but we’ve never been to Sally Lunn’s. I guess I’ll be giving this a try to see what we’re missing!

Sally Lunn is such a delicious bread. You don’t have to touch the sticky dough and you just leave it in the bowl you mix it in to rise; I love that! When I made the Lunn, it took quite a while to rise; almost 2 hours, but our house is on the cool side. It eventually got there and it came out moist and golden and fragrant. I love your brown butter-honey spread idea.

Sue — Use the bits, don’t strain them. The reason why you keep them moving is so they don’t toast too darkly.

Gale — Interesting. I would expect your loaves to cook faster, not slower, in a smaller all around pan. Nevertheless, I can’t say for sure whether this bread will work in your pan but I’d give it a try only because it wasn’t bursting especially out of my loaf pan so you might be okay with a slightly smaller one. As for other cakes, yes, I do think it’s safest to get a 9×5 so you don’t risk spilling over cakes making a mess of your oven. Or you can keep what you have but always hold a 1/2 cup or so of batter back, maybe bake it in a ramekin.

Bread has always intimidated me and I’m not easily intimidated in the kitchen (there are more than a few lobsters who would attest to that!). But this looks so manageable it might coax me right into a bread making bender. The browned butter reminds me of the toast my husband always makes me when I’m sick: slice of toast with butter and then a schmear of honey on top. Love.

Oh, now you’ve gone and done it again, Deb. I was going to make Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s day (I also want to try colcannon) but now I’m tempted by this Sally Lunn bread. Dare I do both? Can there ever be too much bread?

gracious, what a loaf! I’ve heard of Sally Lunn bread before, but never “got around”(oh those to-bake lists!) to making it…How handy to see your pictures and recipe run-down!
Thanks again, deb.
love,
cathyb.

Holy Moly. It’s just wast I’m after. I don’t know, do you even say “what I’m after” in America? Well, we do here in Ireland…in other words, this is JUST what I was looking for! You had me from honeyed brown-butter. Do you think this could be used successfully in a bread pudding? Thanks a bunch for sharing!

I’ve heard of Sally Lunn bread before but I’ve never made it. I love these types of sweet, almost briochey breads toasted with really good salted butter. I reckon it would go quite nicely with a scattering of raisins, sultanas and candied peel mixed in (but maybe I’ve just got Easter on the brain- add some mixed spice along with the fruit and it wouldn’t be far off a giant hot cross bun).
That last picture with the butter melting in has got me craving toast and butter right now!

Mmmm. This recipe brings to mind happy memories. When I was a kid we walked home from school for lunch and on rainy days my mom would bake bread. Lunch would be a hunk of hot bread, butter and honey. This is now at the top of my baking list!

That looks so delicious! I just want to take that loaf and slowly drool on it all day. I imagine it would be amazing in little muffin tins with dried fruits and nuts sprinkled inside the batter as well.

Don’t know if it’s my browser (Firefox) or what, but the ‘sally lunn’ and ‘spread’ are jumbled together in the title – looks like the second line (‘spread’) didn’t actually go to a fresh line, just overlapped with the first. Not sure how that happens but figured I’d say something. Also, this looks awesome, too bad we just made a (plain sandwich) loaf last night…I’ll have to wait until the weekend to make this! (also it sounds like the perfect resting place for my newly-purchased Biscoff spread, which is dangerous…)

Holy cow! I thought my Mom was the only person in the world who made Sally Lunn bread. It’s a Christmas tradition in our house and she bakes a half-dozen (or so) of them in bunt pans. As you suggest the best way to serve it is toasted and buttered.

I love this bread — I first had it on a family vacation to England, and it was served covered with a Welsh rarebit cheese sauce . . . it’s pretty much the most amazing open-faced grilled cheese you could ever hope for, and both my sister and I still request it for our birthday dinners (even several decades later!).

I LOVE Sally Lunn Bread!! My mom always made it when we were younger and it was actually the very first “bread” I made all on my own. That’s how easy it is! I completely agree that sally lunn bread and butter is a melt in your mouth combination but in our family, sally lunn is also a favorite for grilled cheese! It’s the best!

I for some reason thought that Sally Lunn bread was only found in the delicious cafe I visited in Bath… I LOVED it. Can’t wait to try this recipe! Any suggestions if you only have access to fresh yeast? And thanks in advance for posting in grams!! Makes life here in Norway just a bit easier ;-)

Someone might have already said this, but did you notice how your one-year-ago and all those years-ago pingbacks also involved baked goods? Must just be that time of year! Do you think this dough would make for good dinner rolls if shaped differently?

Boy, are we on the same page. Picked up some burnt honey butter on my last trip to Momofuku, and couldn’t resist trying to replicate at home. I emphasize *trying* – recipe still needs some work. Love the idea of browning the butter instead of the honey – definitely will try this one on for size.

I Love this bread. I’ve always made it from the old-school Fanny Farmer Cookbook, which makes WAY too much for just myself and my husband. So I’m excited to try your recipe that only makes one loaf! I’ve also made it as dinner rolls in muffin tins, which turned out awesome for a party.

I am so glad the Maida Heatter is popular again. Really wish they’ve had pictures in her books for every recipe but my imagination worked just fine and yes I was very young checking her books out of the library and bless Ms Winnie for hooking me up. So with you on the Spring thing, just bought Mexican squash and sweet small bulbous onions (like my grandfather grew) and fresh rosemary bread this past weekend.

I used to make this when I was a kid, 40 years ago. It was in the original Joy of Cooking under the title “Feather Bread” or “Luncheon Bread”. It was baked in a tube pan and they recommend slicing with an angel food fork to get a craggy rough surface for toasting. There are so many great recipes in that original, particularly for baked goods.

Oh Deb! Thank you so much for yet another awesome recipe! I love the idea of no knead batter bread! I make an awesome beer bread which is basically pour mix and bake, and have a feeling this one will take over as the bread of choice- football season or not!

That looks fantastic. I’ve got to schedule some time for bread-baking in my mother’s kitchen. My partner has celiac disease and I’ve been having fun playing with gluten-free baking, but it’s not the same.

You’re killing me. I’ve been cooking from your blog for awhile now but for some reason I’m recently obsessed. My husband asks me where I get a new recipe from and all I have to say is “Do you have to ask?” and now, you put up delicious easy to make bread just after I fail with the New-York-Times-No-Knead-Never-Fails bread. …I can’t wait to try this! ; )

I just made this bread and the butter. Wow, quite good. I think I over-cooked it a bit (203) so it’s a little crumby but the flavor is top notch.
The brown butter honey with salt is too good. Thanks for a great recipe that I will return too.

Oh my. Here I am, two weeks from a bathing-suit-required vacation, and there you are, with, well, what I *wish* were the bread and butter of my diet. I suppose I will have to make it for the other half and the tot, and let them wallow in the greatness that is carb-and-butter-heaven. Meanwhile, I will be huffing yeasty-bread aromas while eating oatmeal and dried fruit, telling myself it’s TOTALLY the same thing. *tear*

Honey and butter is one of the most comforting combinations to me. When I was a kid my dad would always eat saltines spread with butter and drizzled with honey as a midnight snack. It never occurred to me to actually combine the two and make a honey butter. And that is why you are a genius.

How funny! I happened to try out Sally Lunn on Saturday. The recipe I used included honey instead of sugar in the batter. I was however a bit disappointed with the dryness. I think I will go for a richer batter next time.

Now normally I don’t regret being on vacation on a tropical island, but right now there is nothing I’d rather do than bake a loaf of this amazing-sounding bread! It is high atop my to-do list when I get home, perhaps while I run the laundry…?

I had to try it today,…ahhhh the smell of it cooking. It taste almost like cake, even my picky daughter liked it & said “finally mom, made something “I” like”. So, I’m going to make it again. Have to admit, my loaf didn’t rise as much as yours in the picture, don’t know why. Have been hooked on to your blog for the last two years…I’ve made many receipes..SO THANKS!! I love your style of bloggin, I pass on your blog site to all my friends too.

You and I must be on the same wavelength. Last week I found a Colonial Virginia cookbook in the library and have been eating my way through it. Sally Lunn recipes were numerous, so I tried it but I had some issues. I also thought of it as a no-knead bread/cake thing and since it is enriched with both butter and egg, it seemed remarkably brioche-like. My recipe called for you to work it until the dough “blistered” and the best definition I could find for such a method told me basically the dough got whacked about on the counter until layers forms and when it got whacked, the air between the layers would bubble up. The description said the chore could take upwards of an hour to accomplish… so of course, I bailed. My summary of the whole experience was that there is a reason the bread is no longer common place. While it is yummy piping hot with lots of butter and lemon curd (my go to for tasteless bread) it was pretty blah and heavy on the stomach, so it became croutons. This whole thing is an enormous comment just to say I hope your was better than mine and do you know anything about blistering bread dough?

At Ava– as a microbiologist who uses yeast for research (the specific type I use, is actually the yeast for African beer, but my lab does use a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is the same species as baker’s yeast and brewer’s yeast, but I digress…), the freezer method should definitely work for storing your yeast. For our live strains, which we need for cultures (liquid and on agar plates), we store them in glycerol at -80 C (-112 F) and they wake right up just fine. Therefore, storing your Active Dry yeast in your home freezer should extend the life for quite a while. Eventually, you will lose some viability of the yeast, but then we have some samples that have been around probably 10 years that still seem to grow just fine. The only concern is that the yeast I use in my research needs a bit of “wake up” time before it will really grow well, so if you’re REALLY worried about the yeast taking a little longer to rise, you could always aliquot some of the yeast into smaller containers to freeze and keep one in the fridge at all times that would be your “awake” stock.

Oh my goodness! I live in Bath and Sally Lunn’s famous bun shop is round the corner from where I work! It is apparently the oldest house in Bath, and still going strong.

This Sally Lunn bread looks a little differant though, I’m guessing its sweet? Over here we have Sally Lunn Buns, which are just plain and you can have them with anything, and Bath Buns which are essentially Sally Lunn Buns but with currents and caraway seeds and a sugar lump baked into the bottom. Medicinal, apparently! The west country is good for food.

I find this way too tempting. My mother used to make something similar that had both a can of beer and a stick of butter in it… it was sweet, yeasty, delicious, and about as fattening as bread can get. This one seems a bit more reasonable.

I just pulled this out of the oven, and it is amazing! I messed up the recipe too – I was talking on the phone while mixing the ingredients together (not a good idea) and managed to skip the steps that said use 3/4 cup flour with the dry ingredients etc. I just dumped it all in, and added the eggs at the end. My batter turned out pretty lumpy and didn’t rise as much as I would have liked, but the bread is delicious even with the mistakes!

This sounds delicious. In South Africa, there is a bread that is multi-seeded that I am convinced is a batter bread because it is sooo moist and spongy–it mades the most divine toast! I tried and tried to get the recipe. It has sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, and sesame–yum. If you ever find a recipe like that, please post!

So I have been to Bath, knew about the Sally Lunn buns and still did not try them. I am kicking myself. But hopefully I will be back next year and in the mean time, might back some of my own Sally Lunn bread in anticipation.

High altitude is always a problem for bread, I’m with ya, Marcia. My guess is that if the yeast were reduced slightly, it would work better. Personally I also find a hotter oven and shorter time also helps. I’m guessing that Deb won’t want to visit us to test this at our high altitude. It looks awesome!

Looks so delish! I can almost smell it baking in my kitchen! Oh wait, but it’s not… Love the brown butter honey spread! I would even make this without the bread and eat it with a spoon!! Does that make me a bad person?

Oh, Deb, this is beautiful! I can’t wait to make it. I’ve gotten into bread baking this winter. {I live in Vermont and don’t ski. I needed a hobby.} I’m currently trying to make the Tartine wild yeast starter, but it is A LOT of work {even if I’ve got no children, no partner, no pets, lots of free time…hahaha!} Whew. My wild yeast starter won’t be ready for weeks. {I’ve named him Merlin. I hope he works like magic.} So, this sounds like a fun bread to try in the mean time.

Made this tonight! Great recipe – really easy (aside from the 2 3 minute sets of vigorous stirring, guess I need to do some bicep curles :P). The texture was different from what I imagined – I was thinking more brioche, while it was more cake-like… definitely tasted like brioche, though!

Thanks for passing on this recipe – it looks delicious! My latest new hobby is bread baking, so I am anxious to try this recipe, though I’m used to using instant yeast and a food processor. Also, every time I’ve used ADY, I was told to proof it in hot water. I see that you add the hot liquids to the yeast and flour mix, but do you think it would hurt to proof the yeast with a little bit of water before adding it to the flour? I just find it reassuring to see the yeast being activated before spending the next couple of hours working on a loaf.

Like Ann, I also had these in Bath, England, on my honeymoon, in fact, at the original Sally Lunn teahouse. The recipe is heavily guarded there, but Maida must know a person or two. :) The clotted cream was divine. And I’ve never been so full in my life. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

I love Sally Lunn bread! I learned to bake it from “Beard on Bread” on the early ’70s; his recipe uses a tube pan and makes a lovely, sumptuous treat. It does make the best toast. Your loaf is beautiful and I can’t wait to try the salted and honeyed brown butter. Bliss!

It’s quarter to one in the morning and I want to drop everything (which is to say, leave the couch) and make this. Pity my husband would wonder what I’m doing. This will have to be bookmarked, but I can hardly wait!

I have been reading you blog for a couple months now and as always your pictures are deliscious! I wish I had the time to make this bread, maybe on my upcoming vacation in April. I cook vicariously through your pictures. You have some wonderful tips, and I bought a kitchen scale. It’s handy when you are on a diet as well! Thanks so much for your blog.

Proofing the yeast — No need to proof it, well, unless you’re worried that yours is no good. The warm milk in the yeast mixture takes care of it. If you’re nervous, you can proof it in 1/4 cup of warm water or milk, and then only add 1/2 cup (instead of 3/4) to the dough. Add the yeast at the same time. The 1/2 cup of remaining milk would then not need to be warmed.

LauraD — I think the pan is from Crate & Barrel, eons ago…

gretchen — They’re (also) Crate & Barrel. We bought them less than 9 months ago, but they seem to no longer carry them.

Leslie/Marcia — I want to visit! But you’re right in that I’m not much help. How to adapt recipes to a high altitude is the most frequently ask question on this site that I haven’t answered, mostly because I live now and have lived at sea level my whole life and have virtually no experience cooking in the sky. I’d just resort to books and manuals I found online. I recommend anyone who does live at a high altitude who owns the Joy of Cooking, however, to read their pages about it because I did find them helpful the one time I stayed in the North Carolina mountains for a weekend.

Great looking bread. Just wanted to mention, if someone didn’t already, that you can keep yeast like the jar you mention in the freezer instead of the fridge, and you’ll never have to throw it out. I’ve kept instant yeast for years past the expiration date, and it never seems to die on me. Just spoon it up directly out of the jar.

As Sasa mentioned earlier – in New Zealand we have “Sally Lunn” buns that are also called Boston Buns. They have a cake/bread base, usually with raisins in there and a white coconut icing – and the cake/ bread usually contains a cup or so of mashed potato… Your version sounds much tastier!

I am so making this! After brownies, yeast pastries are what Maida Heatter excels at. Oh, and cheesecake, too. LOVE the idea of the salted browned butter spread, which I’m going to try with the crystal-y salted butter here in France.

Dying to try this, but first…I have a technical question about recipes with yeast. I have made countless batches of cinnamon buns — from all kinds of recipes (including yours!) and my buns never rise properly, even though I do everything EXACTLY as instructed. (I mean, they rise, but the end result is never like the pictures in the recipe I am baking).
A baking friend suggested the problem might be the salt…and suggested not to add salt until yeast was fully bubbly — and always add it to the flour, not the yeast/sugar/water mixture. I tried this. Still no good. I make sure to buy “fresh” yeast each time too. What’s wrong!!! I live in Toronto, so it has nothing to do with altitude…or weather.

Nostalgia alert: I grew up in Virginia, and Sally Lunn was on every Thanksgiving and holiday table–it’s the Southern answer to brioche or challah. I have never encountered it in NYC, so what a fun surprise to see it on your blog. My grandmother always baked it in a ring mold, and for some reason she put just a pinch of ginger in the batter.

So you’re telling me I should make this for my breakfast for dinner party on Saturday. The real question is, would it be a sin to make it into french toast? If you’re looking for more yummy breads, check out the SoNo Bakery Cookbook. :) I’ve been making the cinnamon raisin bread and rustic italian on alternating weekends for a while now…

Travels4Food — I said I had favorite commenters, not bloggers. Also, I was kidding. I hope that seeing how present I am in the comment section daily (WordPress informs me that I’ve left 1,952 response comments since Jan. 2010 alone) speaks to how much I enjoy reading them from everyone.

Immediately after seeing this post during my end-of-the-work-day hunger pangs, I hurried home to make the bread and honeyed brown butter. Somehow (I NEVER let this happen!) I had run out of butter, but never fear, CVS was near. They only had salted butter, but I pressed on, cutting the salt in the recipe back to 1/4 tsp.
The bread was fun to make, easy, and had a delightfully fast second rise where you could almost see the dough puffing up and up. I baked it for about 32 minutes, and the texture was perfect.

My boyfriend and I polished off half the loaf right then and there in front of the stove, slathering it with the honeyed brown butter (so worth it), and then salted butter, and then getting more creative and gluttonous – picture this bread with honey butter, leftover bacon, and leftover spinach salad on top. Yum. This morning, I woke up to said gluttonous boyfriend making souffle french toast, which was airy and so delicious.

I think I’m officially smitten with this blog now – although this is my first time commenting, I’m a faithful reader who often hurries home to try out your newest recipe. Thanks for all of the inspiration, Deb!

I made the browned butter honey last night to go with the cornbread I served. It was amazing and another perfect go-together. I used 3T honey (based on how much I see the family use on cornbread) so it was a little softer and sweeter, but it still looked fluffy. The family just raved about it.

Saw this yesterday and had to try it..it came out of the oven about 11pm, amazingly it looked just like your picture, and it was wonderful with butter and honey. (Browned butter is not popular at my house!) Even cold, it was a hit at work this morning. And so easy to make! Thank you so much for introducing me to this bread. (And for Leah #209, I used 1% milk, it’s all I ever have in my fridge – and Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour)

Deb, all I can say is wow! The last bread I made from your recipes was the orange chocolate bread and “divine” is the closest word that matches it. I look forward to making this particular bread. Maybe different variations on the browned butter? What am I saying…. Everything is better when it’s browned.

Matt–of you don’t know what to do with the other half of the yeast–make 2 loaves and give one away or put in freezer for tomorrow (because you will have already eaten the first loaf !)

Also, to address the question of yeast rising. I took a baking class and learned that if you use salt with iodine it will inhibit the rising. Use PLAIN salt for all your baking needs. Hope you find this helpful. I’m off to bake some Sally bread !!

Gosh! I am a born-and-bred Bath girl and I didn’t realise that Sally Lunn was even heard of outside of this little corner of England. One of my favourite childhood memories is of my grandmother picking me up from ballet class on Saturday mornings and then taking me for tea and a bun at Sally Lunn’s afterwards. It was our little treat, our time together, just the two of us every week. Thanks for reminding me of a special memory! And I shall definitely have to try this. Love your blog Deb!

I usually fail spectacularly with breads.. I do not know if it is the proofing or my undying need to add whole wheat flour to everything–but this one looks cake-like and may alter my luck. Love the honey butter idea. My favorite childhood memory is eating browned butter (ghee) mixed with granulated sugar straight from a bowl. Honey will make it still better adding floral undertones.

Deb,
How do you think this bread will fare in your baked french toast.(will it be too soft and disintegrate?) I tried your baked french toast for the first time last week and loved how easy and tasty it was. We had it for weekday breakfasts with my sweet-averse husband complaining when we ran out of brioche to make it with. I cook almost everything from this site- from birthday cakes to everyday meals..so much so, that for every successful dish my friends ask me if it is from the “smitten” web site. I want to thank you for the time and effort you put into this blog. It is very much appreciated by hungry stomachs here in Seattle.

*groans* I’m a sucker for freshly baked breads. I come from a long line of bakers – literally, my ancestors and grandparents owned bakeries. Not pastry-bakeries, bread-bakeries. No food smell quite woos me and relaxes me with a rush of dopamine like that of fresh bread baking.

I might have to try this. I’m awful at baking, I chalk that up to the ADD and inability to follow a precise recipe. But this looks too good to pass up.

I would love to make this but I generally try to bake parve foods. I use margarine for butter and swap smaller amounts of milk for soy milk or rice milk. Too much of those tends to leave a weird taste, and since you mentioned water in the original recipe, how could I make this with less soy milk and more water but still have an excellent loaf?
Thanks!

Another amazing use for brown butter! I LOVE brown butter and am definitely going to try this. I’m so glad you posted about bread – I don’t think enough people know how to make it! Given your comparisons to brioche, looks like I’m going to have to bake the bread too. You’re really twisting my arm!

Thankyou for including non-electric-mixer instructions! A kitchen-aid is yet to grace my bench top (hopefully next birthday…). I cant wait to try this recipe after so much success with ‘dimpled plum cake’ a few days ago.

I can’t wait to make this. I planned on making the irish car bomb cupcakes tonight only to be deterred at the liquor store (who knew you couldn’t bring a 20 month old in). I just want to say thank you Deb! Your recipes have always come out perfectly (no matter how much I might try to mess it up). I have consistently received praise on every smitten kitchen item I’ve made. Whenever we have a potluck with friends or work, I’m required to make dessert thanks to your great recipes!

I sound really clueless and probably like a terrible mother, but you can’t bring a baby into a liquor store?! Even in a Bjorn or stroller? Are you supposed to leave them in the car? This upsets me more than it should.

I’m now officially on a quest to become one of your favorite commenters. I think I’ve left about two comments so far (I’ve been reading for a year and a half or so, and I think I’ve actually read all of your posts…I have often found myself in your archives at 2 a.m. while procrastinating a term paper…), so I’ll have to step it up. I can’t wait to try this recipe as soon as I graduate from college and have a kitchen of my own in a couple of months here! There are a lot of things I will make in the hall kitchen (blueberry pie and corned beef and cabbage, for example), but yeast bread is not one of them.

Awe; I noticed and realized I discovered your blog a year ago when your breakfast pizza was posted on another blog I look at. It’s been a great year of cooking! Thanks! And I’m making this bread for Oneg; can’t wait!!

Drool… reading the recipe reminds me of the cinnamon toast with tons of butter I used to “make” when I was really little. Of course now I’m going to have to make this bread and recreate a more grownup version.

Just tried this. I added half a crushed vitamin c tablet because Dan Lepard recommended that on his site and it seems to make my bread rise better. Baked it for 45 minutes because my oven’s slow. Very soft and light. Easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe!

To all those afraid to make brioche because of 1)time commitment or 2)yeast or some other fear: DON’T BE AFRAID! Brioche really doesn’t take that much hands on time; for those who work 9-5 make the dough before you go to bed and stick it in the fridge (about 20-30 minutes); When you come home from work, turn the oven on, pull the dough out and shape it (about 15 minutes); let it rise while you get dinner started (about 1 hour); pop it in the oven and let it bake and – depending on size & shape – in about 20 to 40 minutes you’ll have fresh, hot brioche! and you only had about, maybe, 40 minutes of actual hands-on time. Don’t be afraid of yeast — it may be a living organism, but it’s fun!

I am so! excited! to try this. I have had the Sally Lunn Buns at the Sally Lunn house in Bath, and let me tell you they are fab! I get sad when I think I will most likely never have them again. But this makes me happy! Strawberry jam and clotted cream is where it’s at.

Also, I have totally brought my baby into a liquor store! And when I was in there with her there was a man in line in front of me with his 7 or 8 year old son. He just wasn’t allowed to carry the bag when he asked to. I live in Pennsylvania, so maybe the rules are different? I would think it would be looser in NY, though, because Pa has some backward liquor laws.

Perhaps someone has already mentioned this… but this loaf makes splendid French toast the next day! Challah or brioche have been favorite French toast breads of mine, but this is much quicker and simpler to make if I’m just looking to make it into toast. Thanks!

In the great state of MN, you can absolutely bring kids into the liquor store. AND the employees give them free candy! It’s a fantastic and not at all dysfunctional system for creating lifelong customers.

Interesting! I literally just posted a little excerpt from a book called ‘The Little Irish Baking Book’ by Ruth Isabel Ross, on my blog. I made Irish Whiskey Cake, but something about the Classic Sally Lunn recipe in the book caught my eye because she says this about it:

“Legend says that Sally Lunn sold her wonderful teacakes in the streets of Bath, England in the late 1700?s. Now her teacake is known in Britain and America, as well as Ireland. I have a recipe for a Sally Lunn yeast cake from a manuscript dating in 1829 and found in the rafters of an old house in County Dublin. Sally Lunn teacake was always a treat. It was sliced horizontally and spread thickly with butter. Then the halves were put together again and teacake was sliced downwards. The butter melted deliciously. To keep it hot, it was placed by an open fire on a trivet, usually a brass one.”

Then I came here to check on your blog as I usually do, and saw that you made Sally Lunn Bread! Now I wonder who Sally Lunn really was…..

Sally Lunn bread…this takes me back to my 10th birthday….it was part of a menu of a pioneer-themed birthday party that I was bound and determined to cook all by myself…coming from an 18th century American Girl cookbook…it’s been a while, but I remember my 10 year-old self liking it.

The first day, the bread was delish. The second day, it became the star of a toasted Sally Lunn- turkey- spinach- Camembert and French dressing sandwich. This is probably what heaven tastes like. Thank you for the (hopefully) sneak peak!

Haha… I agree – please no more potato, no more pasta, no more stew! But I can always go for a yummy slightly-sweet bread. This would make a fantastic breakfast treat! Oooh… and leftovers for French toast.

Hi Deb! I have recently gotten into food blogs and yours is definitely my favorite! Thanks for always giving great recipes and advice! I have made so many recipes (my husband and I have made the tomato, butter and onion sauce to many times to count–the clementine cake was a stand out too!) and I love just reading your posts! I live in New York too, so thanks for keeping it real and giving me great cooking inspiration! Can’t wait to try this bread!!

I made the Sally Lunn bread last night to go with the potato leak soup I made for St. Patrick’s day. It was fabulous! My 12-year old daughter said if she could only take one food to a desert island it would be a loaf of Sally Lunn. The honey brown butter was scrumptious too. I’m saving what’s left for our Sunday morning croissants.

I always make SK recipes as a way of relaxing during my med school breaks. Sally Lunn bread was my spring break treat to myself, and it was delicious. The recipe was perfect. I also made Alex’s chicken marsala for my husband. I don’t generally like chicken marsala at all, but I gave it a shot since it’s my husband’s favorite dish. Well, you’ve converted me. Thanks for the recipes!

I’m at altitude too and when it comes to baking I’ve found the “slow and low” approach fixes a lot of the issues I’ve had. Dryness has been a bigger issue for me and I’m on a never ending quest to figure out how much extra liquid to add up front to kneaded doughs.

Wow! Sally Lunn… this brings me back. This was the first recipe I ever made for school… we had a Cuban teacher who loved to cook cuban food for us and it was a blast. I was 10 years old, and opened up the Joy of Cooking and landed on that page. I really only remember the bread came out terribly! And guess what? Some kid really liked the bread so much and wouldn’t stop bothering me about it – so I gave it to him and knew that he must have had a crush on me because the bread was so awful! Ha ha ha! Going to make this one soon – thank you!

I just made this wonderful light, delicious bread with the most wonderful brown butter-honey that I have had in a loooong long time. Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful find. It was easy to make, few ingredients, and, well, just delicious ~~

Deb – I found a slightly smaller loaf pan on Crate and Barrel.. since it’s off by a smidgen, will that affect anything? I’m assuming it won’t, but wanted to ask just to make sure.. this pan is 8.5″x4.5″x2.75″H

I made this moments ago and had to sneak a piece even though it’s way too late to be eating. And despite the fact that I WAY over proofed the bread (left the house longer than I thought), it’s wonderful. If anyone is worried about making a yeast bread, MAKE THIS. It’s the easiest yeast bread E V E R and seriously tastes like a cake-ish brioche. Can’t wait to have it for b-fast with some jam. *sweet dreams for me*

I made this yesterday–the first recipe I’ve tried since discovering your blog a week ago–and it was delicious! My loaf didn’t rise properly. I suspect it was a combination of a tiny bit too much salt (we’ll call that user-error) and the crazily fluctuating temperatures that varied in a matter of two or three hours from so-warm-we-had-to-have-the-windows-open to turn-on-the-heater-I’m-freezing! In my experience, yeast breads do not like climate change, especially mid-rise. More’s the pity.

But I went ahead and baked my loaf and we’re just thrilled with it and your Browned Butter recipe (even my butter-detesting husband likes it!). I am so happy I found your blog. Looking forward to more goodness: )

We make Sally Lunn bread, in a bundt pan, every Thanksgiving. The combination of the butter taste and turkey, etc., is divine. The only trouble is that we always have to make an extra loaf to eat while we cook everything else!

I made this yesterday with half whole wheat pastry flour and the flavor was delicious! It didn’t rise as much as I expected, but I didn’t care. I later asked my mom if she’d ever made batter bread. She said, “Yes, I used to make one all the time in a Bundt pan. It was called Sally Lunn bread.” Love it!

I made this bread last night with an extra tablespoon of sugar and my friend and I seriously did almost cry upon slicing a fresh piece from the pan. The consistency is out of this world. I didnt allow myself to make the spread – it sounded waaaay too dangerous – but we slathered the bread with honey and butter anyway. Thank you for another delicious and simple recipe.

This is quite similar to a cake I’m baking now, a yeasted sugar cake, in Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (which I see on your shelf!). Her cake has a little more sugar (1/4 cup) and a buttery, sugary crust. It’s my 6 year old daughter’s favorite cake — we serve it with berries and whipped cream. Yum!!

Hi Debs. I LOVE all your recipes and am thrilled every time you post something new. This looks great. Really excited to make it but quiet scared as my last attempt at bread was a flop – literally! So 2 questions before I start. I can’t find active dry yeast in shops so bought bread machine yeast instead. I think this acts like instant yeast. Is this a really bad idea or will it still work? Also, I’ve heard that you can leave bread to rise really slowly in the fridge over night. Can you do that with this one? Thanks

Hi Heather — You can use instant yeast, which I understand to be the same exact thing as bread machine yeast. It does not need to be proofed so there is no need to warm the milk/butter. However, the same volume will work more slowly. (Bread machines have all night to do their business, after all.) You might start with 1 1/2 to 2 times the amount suggested, but you’re on your own with the rising times so check in routinely.

Any dough, including this one, can be slowed down in the fridge overnight. But you’ll need to pick up where you left off once you get it back to room temperature in the morning, which in my experience takes as long as simply starting it from the beginning in the morning. The advantage of a slower rise, however, is better developed flavor.

Thanks for a great recipe! Made this earlier this week to thank a dear friend for helping out with my son, and it was a hit! Oh, and I doubled it and baked it in two loaf pans, because my husband would have been upset if I had given it all away, especially after we smelled it baking. Yum!

I was so excited when I saw this recipe on SK this week because I had on my “To Do List” to make bread and honey-butter for Sunday School tomorrow. I doubled the recipe with great success and put it in two pans and it worked beautifully.

My tops were a little more uneven and ‘peaked’ than your beautiful smooth top, so next time I’ll know to even and smooth out my batter once I put it in the pans. We just sliced into the first loaf and it was delicious!!

Not that you need another comment, but I’m passed out on the couch right now after polishing off half a loaf of this bread slathered in salted honeyed browned butter. DH ate the other half. Deeeelish! I made the batter late last night, and after the 1 hour rise scraped it into the pan, covered it and refrigerated it. This morning it had risen nicely and I put it straight from the fridge into the oven (just like I do with my sourdough bread). Next time I’m making 2 loaves so that we have some leftovers!

I made Sally Lunn bread this morning and it’s already gone! After reading the reviews and being sufficiently scared that it may not rise enough, I increased the yeast to 2tsp. It was an absolutely perfect amount for a lovely, light and incredibly textured bread. Next time, I may also increase the sugar a tad… but that’s more a personal preference than anything. I would also be sure to double the recipe and make two loaves, given how fast it disappeared in my household! Thanks for another wonderful recipe.

i just finished making this – very delicious. i only made half of the brown butter recipe as i knew i would end up eating it all myself, but found when i tried to beat it all the butter just stuck to the beaters. i just scraped it off and mixed in the brown butter with a spoon. not the right texture or as pretty as yours, but still tastes great and is very flavorful.

This just came out of the oven and oh em gee that is delish!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. This was my first time using yeast and it was easy peasy! The bread didn’t rise as much as I’d have liked but it is still yummy. Thanks again deb!!

Just a caution–I don’t know about others but it took longer for mine to rise than your recipe indicated. I don’t know what others have found, but I had to rise this almost twice as long. Turned out well, though and was good as toast the next day!

My mom used to make honey butter for my sister and I to put on our toast in the morning – she just mashed together room temp butter and honey. Her’s had a lot more honey (we love our honey!), but this spread really reminds me of that!

1st time making bread with yeast, I usually use a mix and my breadmachine. sorry. It didn’t raise like your wonderful picture and I was bummed. But hubby ate it anyway and loved it. the honey butter was fabulous.

I have never made bread before! But after reading this recipe, tomorrow’s the day!! My best friends’ parents make their own honey and I have been looking for the perfect way to use the bottle sitting on my shelf. Thank you. P.S. Your super delicious spiced applesauce cake is happily baking away in my oven as I type this and my apartment smells like HEAVEN!! I’m so excited to see that you have a cookbook on the way- they are my addiction and I can’t wait to buy yours.

I made this yesterday and it was super easy and so light and delicious! The only issue that I had was that the loaf didn’t rise nearly tall enough. It definitely doubled before I put it into my loaf pan, but from there, it just kind of gave up. I waited for about an hour before I just put it in the oven anyways. I have no idea what went wrong, but it still tasted delicious, even though it was comically short, haha! Very, very delicious with the honey butter, and even better with peanut butter and jam.

I’ve been testing my bread for doneness by taking its temperature, which has completely changed my bread baking powers for the better. Any idea what other type of bread this resembles, so I could look up the internal temperature?

Made this recipe today….in my bread machine! Put all the ingredients in the machine, ran errands and came home to a delightful fragrance and one of the best breads ever!! Rose to perfection and tasted wonderful :)

I can’t tell you how much I love this bread! I made it using 1/2 whole-wheat flour and 1/2 AP and it is still light and cakey, just like yours! I am making up an excuse tomorrow to make another loaf. My husband and I just can’t get enough!

I’m definitely going to try this recipe tonight, looks soooo good! I’m just curious as to what would happen if I substituted buttermilk for the milk, since I have some extra to use up and buttermilk generally adds extra awesomeness to everything it goes into. Maybe it’s too acidic and might inhibit the yeast growth, but in any case I’ll give it a shot and see what happens!

I made this bread yesterday, adapting it to be dairy-free by substituting soy milk and Earth Balance in place of milk and butter. Also I almost forgot the extra yolk, and added it in before the second rising, mixed well, and let rise again in the baking pan. It rose nicely, and baked us a very nice brioche like bread. So sorry I can’t make the honey brown butter.
A note on rising – My mother lives in a NY apartment. Her kitchen is too hot for ME in winter. Dough would rise there handsomely. I live in a cold place, and my kitchen is very cool. So I know dough will need twice as long to rise sitting on my counter. Therefore I always put dough into a slightly warmed oven to rise with enthusiasm (Turn the oven on for 5 min., low temp., turn it off, and let the dough rise happily).

I made this yesterday and it was delish! My loaf looked very similar to what you have a picture of (except not quite as high), but I had to take it out of the oven after only 25 minutes. Hmm, why do you think that is? Is it possible that I put the milk in too warm, may have killed some the yeast, the dough didn’t rise as it should therefore cooking time was less? Anyway, I just finished eating a slice toasted with butter and jam for breakfast and… yum!

I had long forgot about old lazy Sally Lunn… A woman close to my loungy heart. I made the bread a couple days ago after drooling here. I snatched back part of it to make Lunn Croissant Bread pudding. We ate it this morning with a pile of homemade bacon. Oink. Thanks for the ideas and droolish pics.

I just also want to add – I let mine rise slowly for two hours. But I have the extra pudgy Marion Cunningham devil recipe. More eggs and… ahem… cream. EEEK. Rasa could have let her bread chill on the counter a little longer. You know it is time to procrastinate no more when it looks vaguely sad and deflated… probably because it knows it is about to be devoured.

I just had to make this and am losing my mind waiting for the darn bread to cool down. It smells absolutely heavenly. I had to cover my bread with foil on top about 25 mins into baking because i thought that it was browning too much on top and the internal temp was only 150 degrees. 10 more mins in the oven and presto, it came out looking just like your picture and internal temp of 200 degrees!

Mmm just made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it! Especially with the honeyed brown butter. I always seem to make yeast breads that don’t quite rise as much as they should so I’m going to invest in a thermometer soon to get better results.

I first read your sentence with “weekend brunch” as “weekend bLunch” and then thought “Wow, must be they say blunch instead of brunch where Deb lives.” But, I then uncrossed my eyes and realized I read it wrong. Which caused me to start wondering why we say brunch anyway and not brunch. Huh, I’ll ponder that one for a while. :)

Can’t wait to try this, especially the butter. Definitely a sucker for (or maybe I should say a sucker OF) butter. Thank you!

Just took this out of the oven…. sooooooo delicious! I think I have made at least 4 things from your gorgeous blog since discovering it in the last three or four days… thanks for all the wonderful information and delicious recipes!

I made this bread last night for a casual dinner party to accompany some chicken pot pie. My in-laws raved over it! Thank you, Deb! I ran out of time to make the honey butter, but I am thinking I can do that easily for breakfast this morning! :D

I whipped this bread and butter up this weekend and everyone who has eaten positively raved about it! I didn’t love the bite of salt in the butter, so next time (yes, there will be a next time) I might add the salt to the browned butter before it cools. Otherwise I won’t change a thing!

Just in case any of my fellow bake-by-weight types make it this far down in the comments – I divided the flour as follows: 94 grams (for the 3/4 cup), then 62 grams (for the 1/2 cup), then another 94 grams (for the “rest of the flour”). Worked for me!

Deb, when you say scrape into the pan, after the rise in the original bowl, what consistency should the dough have at that point? Should it be smooth enough to “pour” or at least soft enough to push gently into the edges of the pan? Mine was impossibly tough and unyielding, but I want to try again and improve my skills (or lack thereof). Also, is there a preferred form of cake tester that is also used for breads? or just toothpick? I am so grateful for your site, which I found with the brioche hamburger buns. Thanks for any advice.

My husband and I visited Bath, and the “Sally Lunn House” in 2009. As far as I know, the only real reason to visit the Sally Lunn House is to try the Sally Lund Bun (its claim to fame). We were seated, began looking over the menu, and a pair of delightful Scottish ladies were seated at the next table. We couldn’t help overhear their conversation: “Ooh–I don’t see scones on the menu.” “What? No scones?!” We thought it was funny that they didn’t even seem to realize they were supposed to be getting the famous “Sally Lunn Bun”–they were Scottish, and darn it, they wanted a proper scone, no matter where they were.

YAY! this is one of my favourite things in the world. Where I’m from you can get it in every bakery. But its dotted with currants, and topped with a weird coconut icing. I used to buy a loaf every time I went to see my Nan. We scraped of the gross icing, toasted it and ate with jam and clotted cream.. as well as tea in tiny china cups.

I just finished my second loaf because the first one got eaten too quickly! I took your advice from comment 299 and used double instant yeast and I’m thinking that an hour time is still a little short because that’s how the bread is coming out – short. Still delicious though! It’s great for baking in my dorm because of the lack of kneading.

Here in Texas it’s been reaching the upper 80s/low 90s for a couple of weeks already (in April–have mercy!) and for a northern girl like me, who also loves to bake things when she gets bored, it’s the definition of hell! Too hot to do anything i enjoy, especially baking. Lucky for me, we had a cool front and some wild thunderstorms come through early this morning and now it’s only 65, breezy and sunny at noon, just as a spring day in April should be! In the kitchen though, it may be slightly warmer because I just finished baking this bread and the honeyed brown butter spread, and Ohhhh….yummmm! I’m not a big yeast bread person (except for say, your chocolate babka recipe), i usually go for more cake-type breads, banana, pumpkin, etc., but I was intrigued at the sound of this one and find it turned out really nice, especially fresh out of the oven, slathered with the spread, the way i love all my good ‘tea’ breads… and it was so easy, too! Thanks!

I just made this on Sunday, and it was a huge hit. It was moist and rich and soft and amazing. We ate it hot out of the oven and just plain – what a delight. It will definitely be a staple in my kitchen from now on. And did I say easy? So easy. The easy to delicious ratio was crazy. Considering making it in muffin tins next time – reminiscent of a popover (but wait, easy!)

I’m a 21 year old college student and devoted Smitten Kitchen reader. Bread baking is one of the things that I am still unfamiliar with, but this recipe proved a great jumping off point. The bread itself had an excellent texture and really moist crumb, and the recipe was straight forward (I appreciate the streamlining!) I felt like both the bread and browned honey butter were difficult to mangle (unlike the mini souffles I recently attempted), and (bonus!) the ingredients were all things that I already had lying around my apartment. I love the more nuanced recipes that pop up here, but I appreciate the inclusion of simply tasteful things like the Sally Lunn bread that I can make during a study break.

Just a quick question before I go about making my 3rd loaf of this wonderful bread…
Is there such a thing as “over mixing” I feel like I’m stirring the dough and it is fine, and then all of a sudden it is clinging to the sides of the bowl and the spoon like its life depends on it. So am I stirring it too much? This is all done in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon.

I saw this recipe when you posted it and have had it bookmarked to try. This morning I decided today was the day! I pulled it out of the oven and burned my mouth (totally worth it) because I couldn’t wait for it to cool down so I could try it! Let’s just say I only have half a loaf left and have a second one rising for my family for dinner tonight. (I ate mine today with butter and homemade strawberry peach jam but am making your honey butter for tonight!) thank you, Deb!

This was fantastic! The bread is delicious and moist and perfect for a sweet topping like a fruit jam. The honey butter is also great, and I used local spanish avocado honey for this. The second time I made the bread I added sultanas because I had some to use up! It worked well

Yeast is my nemesis. EVERY time I try to bake using it by endeavors are always foiled. I tried this recipe not once but twice. It rose in the mixing bowl, it rose in the pan prior to going in the oven. What it did NOT do was rise in the oven while baking. It is no more than an inch and a quarter at its highest point. The second, which I left out to rise in the mixing bowl a full half hour more than instructed rose *slightly* more but that’s about it.

And since it was going to serve as my base for creme brulee french toast at the brunch I have planned for tomorrow, I’m off to the store to find a suitable last minute substitution. Grr.

This recipe turned out great! I doubled the recipe and made two 9×5 loaves because I was too lazy to divide the yeast packet. Good thing, because I ate half a loaf hot from the oven before anyone else even knew I had baked it! To Amanda whose loaf did not rise in the oven, maybe it was not hot enough. My oven takes longer than 15 minutes to preheat to 375.

I just finished making this and it is the most perfect version of Brioche for me. I slathered with the browned butter and topped that with some all natural peach jam. Heaven on a plate! Thank you, thank you. Why is it that everytrime I stumble across your blog I end up in the kitchen??

Thanks for sharing this recipe! I used the “surprise me” feature and was so happy with what I found. My husband and I are are both enjoying this bread as I type. Mine didn’t rise as nicely as yours, but it’s definitely tasty!

Another wonderful recipe! I used soft white wheat flour – trying to add more whole grains to our diet – and I wouldn’t do that again. It rose in the bowl, and rose again in the pan, but the finished loaf was only 2″ high, although still very tasty. Next time I’ll use AP flour, and I’m sure the rise will be better. Also, the link in every blog to a picture of Jacob has become one of my favorite features! Love it.

i am catering in awhile and at last i’ve found an excuse to make kilos of whipped honey butter. it will accompany pikelets. so today i’ve finally had the chance to make the first trial batch. this is much, much better than i imagined and on pikelets it is divine. i calculate that i have to make enough based on 2.5kg butter! maybe there will be some left over. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Deb, I went to W&M in Williamsburg VA. The story there goes that Sally Lunn sold breads in the streets of Bath, England in the 18th century and a “respectable baker and musician” bought Sally’s business and wrote a song about her. It then became very popular in Virginia. I first ate it at the Kings Arms Tavern there and have been making it ever since. It is yummy, warm dripping with butter…the recipe from Kings Arms is slightly different and makes a large tube or bundt loaf. Today I think I’m trying your Apple Honey Challah though, will let you know how it goes!

Could you tell me how to substitute flours and gum, xanthum or flax in this sally lunn? My hubby is gluten free, just found out a couple days ago he has Celiac disease. The usual gluten free breads are just awful. I love Sally Lunn and have made it for years….but, not gluten free.

Sally Lunn has been my family’s Christmas bread for years, but it’s not a batter bread, it’s kneaded. It’s been in cook books forever — our recipe is in The Ladies’ Home Journal Cookbook. My mom always put a confectioner’s sugar glaze on it, with halved cherries and walnuts, which how I still make it. It is wonderful for breakfast!

Hi deb, so I finally made this after bookmarking this ages ago. I followed ll the instructions with fresh yeast but the Bread did not rise much. It is cold here in Seattle, but I put the batter to rise in the oven with the oven light on. it still Tate’s amazing except for its stunted look. Any ideas? Should I have proofed the yeast ?

I made this yesterday and it was fantastic! I spread a little bit of the brown butter spread on top of the risen dough just before putting it in the oven, and it gave the top crust a really nice subtle sweetness and texture…next time I’m going to try also using the brown butter spread to butter the pan so I have this taste all over.

The honeyed brown butter spread is definitely going on my list of foods I would be perfectly happy eating for months on end on a desert island.

I decided to try this bread after repeated failed attemps at making a basic kneaded bread and it is delicious! Tastes just like my Grandmom’s bread. I think it did not rise as much as it should have cause it’s a little short but doesnt seem to affect the taste. Can’t wait to eat it for breakfast, Thanks!

Carrie: The whole flour amount is 2 cups. You add in 3/4 cups FROM the 2 cups amount first in the dry mixture.
When it’s time to add in the wet mixture, take the 1/2 cup FROM the remaining flour. Mix it well before adding in the remaining flour.

I just made this btw, in a toaster oven of all things! Now I’m just waiting for it to cool!

Okay, toaster oven? Totally possible! I don’t have a convection countertop/toaster oven, it’s actually a bit old but doable. I recommend 160 degrees Celsius (175 proved to be a bit too hot) and a piece of foil in case the top browns too quick, bake it for about 30 minutes. I gave it about 28 minutes.

My guinea pigs, cough, sorry, my parents agreed it was delicious and that they don’t have to buy white bread loaves so often.

The surprise me button brought this up at 9pm and I dropped everything to make it (admittedly not my best idea at that time of night). I used bread flour because I didnt read the comments where you said not to until this morning. It didn’t rise too much, but was delicious nonetheless. I used the last of my butter making it so we toasted it and spread some creamed honey on top for breakfast and my toddlers devoured it!
Another surprise button success! I love that option!

Since to me you’re the brown butter queen, let me ask you…I followed your instructions here exactly — as I’m less than confident in my butter-browning skills — and it never did clarify. Foam stayed all over the top while underneath it did brown (beautifully – smells amazing!) The foam has dissipated some upon cooling, but I wonder why it wouldn’t clarify? The kind of butter maybe? Too cool/hot? I used salted Land o’ Lakes. Making the spread for coconut bread :)

Update: I made two batches of the honeyed brown butter spread, and they both came out fantastically delicious. I’m in love with the stuff. Both batches stayed foamy, but it didn’t seem to cause any problems.

Made both the Sally Lynn and the honey butter today. Haven’t had a bite of the bread yet, but it smells heavenly! Had a cheeky taste of the honey butter, and oh boy…our first brunch of 2014 tomorrow is gonna be good!

Couple notes: the dough rose just fine, but on the slower side. I might do 1.5 taps next time, just to speed things up. My very small oven probably runs quite hot; the bread was done in 20 minutes! I definitely recommend checking up on it a few times, because it would be a shame to burn such a lovely bread.

Made this yesterday to take over to a friend with a new baby…and then ended up eating it myself. OOPS! Will try again with your coconut bread this morning — luckily I made a large amount of the honeyed butter so I can share that without panic that it’ll run out. This bread is ridiculously good!

Hi! I made this today. It tastes pretty good but the bread didn’t rise nearly as much as yours did in the pictures so the slice is wide but not very tall. Is this because I did not let it rise enough? Could there be something wrong with the yeast I used?

This was incredibly easy to make but I do hope that the next time I make it, the slice is taller!

Thanks so much! I love following your blog and trying all of your recipes!

mmmm. my mom makes this bread every Christmas. I used to think it was named after our pug Sally, so I’d insist that every other year we call it Charlie-Lunn bread (in honor of the other pug, who was deaf and deserved extra attention!) sooo delicious, will have to stack this one up against mom’s old recipe

Added chocolate chips in the last 30 sec of mixing and ate right from the oven spread with butter. So good. Don’t know how well it will toast tomorrow with the chcolate chips….also don’t know if there will be any left tomorrow…so the former might not be important.

Hi, we got a new oven at home and we are very excited looking for recipes of things to bake with the children (our old oven was no good at all) This recipe is fantastic.We got it out of the oven a bit earlier than expected though.

Mother poured this Bread Batter into a You guessed it, Pound Cake Round Pan. We ate it as though WAS a Dessert. Being in Virginia somewhere, just tipped below to South that we miss great Northern Cuisine. Bread rose in cake pan & was a dreamy, lovely scent of bliss.You’re so kind to add in Recipes. Thank You, “Smitten Kitten”.(=^_^=)

Thank goodness for the “Surprise Me!” button on this blog! I probably would have never stumbled across this if I hadn’t clicked it. I immediately made it and it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. My kids and I gobbled it up with butter and jam. I made a different bread recipe a few days later and my 4 year old daughter hopefully asked “Is it Sally Lunn bread?” :) Thanks for sharing this!

Made the Sally Lunn bread yesterday and it was heavenly! Had it with plain honey and had it for breakfast.
Waited till today to comment as my bread always turns out good fresh out of the oven, but becomes dense after a day. This time nothing like that happened and finally, I hope, I got the knack of making bread. I think its because i started trusting your tip, which you always keep repeating over bread recipies, that “its best if your dough is wet and messy”. Thank you Deb.

Hi Deb…I have a question. I made this today and while my loaf came out beautiful and tastes quite delicious, it didn’t rise quite as beautifully as the yours. I don’t have a candy thermometer and so I couldn’t accurately monitor the temperature of the butter/milk mixture. If it was 15-20 degrees warmer than your recommendation, could it have killed my yeast? It was so delicious but the texture left something to be desired.

This bread recipe is delicious! I recently started a blog challenging myself to bake a hundred breads by the end of the year and just completed the post inspired by your bread. Just wanted to say thanks for the awesome recipe! Will definitely make again.

Great recipe that turned out really well. I make a few extra loaves when baking it for the freezer (it freezes beautifully, especially for toasting)…but the real reason is for BREAD PUDDING! This version is EXCELLENT for it.
One of the first restaurant jobs I had many moons ago had a Sally Lunn Bread Pudding on the dessert menu, served warm with fresh Raspberry sauce. It sounds unusual but butterscotch or caramel are too heavy and the contrast between the tart fresh berries and luscious bread pudding will make your heart sing! It’s also good to add some fresh berries into the pudding before baking.

I found this recipe while looking for another banana bread recipe (tonight’s lesson for a visiting college student was Deb’s Jacked Up Banana Bread). Like a few commenters, my mom made this for Thanksgiving, in a bundt pan. I get the bundt pan–Mom was from Minneapolis, the daughter of one of the Hadassah women who went to Nordic Ware in 1950 asking for pans like their mothers had in the old country.* But Thanksgiving? I wonder where that idea began.

Wherever it did, Sally Lunn is a wonderful counterpoint to other Thanksgiving foods. We always had to make an extra loaf, because sis and Mom and I would eat most of one while we cooked everything else.

The thing is, Mom’s recipe came from an old Mennonite Community Cookbook. It says to use 1½ moist yeast cakes (or 2 dry). When moist cakes are used, the bread ends up absolutely mouthwateringly delicious, but smells too yeasty. Why do the moist breads do that? I’ve changed the recipe to 2½ packets of active dry yeast for 2 loaves, and that seems to be perfect (whatever the actual measure).

Also, our Sally Lunn is much more cakey than yours looks. I can cut mine, but if I try to lift it in my hand or even butter it, it will fall apart. That’s why your brown butter spread is soft and perfect for the task. It also would fit very well on Thanksgiving. 😊

Wow, Deb..I had almost forgotten about this bread all these years later. I came looking for a roll recipe to see if I could translate a recipe I have for a regular loaf into a roll form. You are still my trusted source for method and you do have what I need so, thanks for that. This loaf is a Peter Reinhart bread, you may have the cookbook; Artisian Bread something something? heh! Anyway, it’s his wild rice and onion bread and it’s so good and so perfect for Thanksgiving. Once all this book touring is done and February looms longer than it’s 28 days belie, give it a go. You won’t be disappointed, it goes so well in days of wool. (you can also find the recipe on the Fresh Loaf site.)

Thanks Deb👍🏼⭐️🤗 I made this and it tastes lovely, I also made the honey brown butter. It rose nicely during the allotted time. I woild definitely make it again, such an easy recipe. The recipe didn’t require a ‘warm’ place to rise, but I made one. I preheated my oven to 200°F and then turned it off and left the door open. My dough rose nicely sitting in the very slightly warm oven.

Just found this recipe and I find myself falling in love with you just a smidge more than I already was. I was supposed to come see you at the 92nd street y (had my tickets) but my MIL passed so was unable 😥😥
Anyway I digress. We tried Sally Lunns Buns in Bath two Summer’s ago and they were divine!!! So I noticed this recipe says table salt – so you mean the good ole iodized salt which I think I no longer have as I primarily use kosher salt or sea salt. So my question…….can I use kosher salt instead of table salt?

I made this bread today and it is delicious! Mine didn’t rise as well- but I’m assuming this is because I don’t have a mixer and it is haaard to mix manually. Next time I’ll probably knead it a little bit, it’s not too sticky of a dough so kneading it for a few minutes won’t be a problem. It mainly rose in the oven- it’s about 4-5 inches tall, so it’s respectable. A wonderful bread to throw together on a Sunday afternoon.